Photo: U.S. National Park Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Dry Tortugas National Park
Garden Key, about 70 miles west of Key West by ferry or seaplane · Key West, FL
Why you should go…
Dry Tortugas sits almost 70 miles west of Key West and can only be reached by boat or seaplane. The centerpiece is Fort Jefferson on Garden Key, a 19th-century coastal fort built from more than 16 million bricks and never finished. The park is more than 99 percent water, so you can snorkel and swim right off the fort. Garden Key also has a small primitive campground, with eight sites just south of the fort, for those who want to stay the night.
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- #snorkeling
- #historic fort
- #island day trip
- #camping
Good to know
General sport & outdoor guidance
Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.
Weather calls the shots
Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.
Shoes, water, sun cover
The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.
Parking and launches fill early
On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.
Daylight shrinks in shoulder season
Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.